New measles outbreak at Saint-Eustache pediatric centre

A vial of vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella is photographed at the Taber Community Health Centre in Alberta on Monday, July 28, 2025. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

After months without a wave of transmission in Quebec, measles has resurfaced at a pediatric centre in Saint-Eustache.

Three measles cases have so far been reported in connection with this new outbreak.

Measles is a highly contagious disease. Its main symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that begins on the face and then spreads to the body.

For vulnerable people, including babies who have not yet been vaccinated, complications can occur and, in some cases, can be fatal.

The current outbreak was reported at the UP pediatric emergency centre in Saint-Eustache. People who were at the site between 3:30 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. on Nov. 28 may have been exposed to measles.

Public health officials are asking those who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms until Dec. 19.

If a person is not vaccinated and has been in contact with a measles case, they must self-isolate at home starting on the fifth day after exposure and through the 14th day, inclusive. An individual is not contagious during the first four days following exposure.

Last November, Canada officially lost its measles-free status, which it had held since 1998. The measles outbreak in Canada began in New Brunswick in October 2024 and has since affected more than 5,000 people nationwide, resulting in the deaths of two infants in Alberta and Ontario.

Ontario, considered the epicentre of the outbreak for months, declared the end of its outbreak in October after recording more than 2,000 cases. In Quebec, the outbreak ended in April, with only 36 cases reported.

The outbreak involving the same strain is continuing in Alberta, where about 2,000 people have contracted the disease. Other provinces are also continuing to report a small number of cases.

Canada will be able to regain its measles-free status once transmission of the strain associated with the outbreak has been interrupted for at least 12 months.

The Canadian Press health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 15, 2025.